My grandmother maria filomena fotia (born 1909) was the daughter of Pasquale and Rosa Fotia based in Reggio Calabria. I'm looking for information on her father and mother and any brothers or sisters she may have had (birth certificates, address, siblings)... Any idea where to start?

My grandmother was from Benestare in Reggio Calabria.. Not sure about Rosa's maiden name ... working on it now... Do you know of any good online references in italy where I can search for calabrian records?

I actually have some records for Benestare on permanent loan at the FHC. Unfortunately I don't have 1909. I think I have 1888, 1889, & 1903 or 1904. I would have to look to confirm.

The best I can do for you is check the records I do have the next time I go there and copy whatever records I can find with that surname and post them on my website Calabria Exchange.

Meanwhile, here is a ship manifest for a [url=http://www.ellisisland.org/search/shipManifest.asp?MID=00121084030236794688&order_num=709211802&ORDER_ID=1600177162&pID=100273060359&lookup=100273060359&show=\\192.168.4.227\images\T715-2848\T715-28480552.TIF&origFN=\\192.168.4.227\IMAGES\T715-2848\T715-28480553.TIF]Giovanni Fotia[/url] born in 1903, whose father is also Pasquale in Benestare heading for Ohio. Looks like this could be a brother of Maria Filomena since the age is very close. The manifest is two pages so here is Page 2.

Looks like Pasquale made a trip in 1910 to visit Ohio and his brother in law, Michele Siciliano (a Siciliano also traveled with Giovanni on the manifest posted above). He lists his wife as Rosa in Benestare.

Thank you! that's more information than i had.. This gives me a good starting point to work out her parents history...my father seems to think that pasquale fotia's father married a Maria Garreffa...might help filter through this information...

if you do happen to come across records from Benestare in 1909 - it would be good to know if Maria Filomena Fotia's birth is registered... it may have more details about her parents...

Would the churches in Benestare keep birth/ death/ marriage records around that time? Are they available in some form?

I don't have one as artistically presented as you and Biff. Mine has a black suit of armor helmet at the top with a cascade of multicolored fluted flowers which I didn't have reproduced on a sheet that was used to transfer the coat of arms.. but I am happy that I was able to have a very sweet person take the time to put my COA on the forum as my avatar...Perhaps someday. But thanks for noticing!! But I do know what all the symbols mean and for that I am grateful =Peter=

I think a letter to the Comune of Benestare will get you an actual copy of her birth act (we want the long version as it's much more detailed) and confirm her parents names. Garreffa is a common name in those small comuni as is Romeo and Maria is the number one name so it's best to make sure.

What a coincidence, my grandfather's name was Pasquale Fotia married to Maria Francesca Garreffa both from Benestare. The Garreffa name runs far back,we have a small community just on the edge of Benestare named after us because we're all related named Rione Garreffa.Could we possibly be related? Please tell me more about your family.You an contact me by email. Love to hear from you.

Which conditions may have an effect - positive or negative - on your Italian family history project. The following insights, based on many years of experience in Italy, pertain to factors that have very little to do with Italian genealogy per se, but involve vast cultural differences that influence ...

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